Demon Sword Maiden

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Lily could sense the Madam’s sincerity in the way she handled her. As the smoking pipe traced patterns across her back, the Madam subtly flipped it, using the mouthpiece instead—perhaps to avoid the heat of the smoke nozzle.

The Madam’s pipe did not burn an ordinary herb, yet its heat was far from enough to harm Lily. Still, the way she switched the pipe seemed instinctive, as if done out of subconscious care rather than conscious intent.

After all, Lily was her goddaughter—surely, the Madam harbored no ill will toward her. And yet, why had she arranged for Lily to marry the demoness of the Boundless Abyss?

"Ah…" Lily let out a faint gasp.

Lost in thought, Lily was abruptly pulled back to reality as the Madam’s smoking pipe glided across her bare back. With her heightened sensitivity, she could feel every delicate motion with startling clarity.

Lily knew she had to remain focused, resisting any distractions, and instead commit the meridian pathway to memory. But in her current state, maintaining such concentration was anything but easy.

The smoking pipe drifted lower, tracing a slow and deliberate path down her spine.

"Madam… wait… please wait…" Lily’s voice trembled.

After what felt like an eternity, Lily finally committed the intricate meridian and Charm Intent pathways to memory.

‘She could have just given me a diagram and told me to memorize it… But maybe tracing it on my body really does make it easier to remember. I suppose… this is just how she teaches…' Lily thought to herself, her face burning red.

"Lily, commit this meridian to heart. You must practice circulating your charm intent through it every day. How far you progress will depend entirely on your comprehension and dedication," the Madam instructed, signaling the end of her lesson.

"Yes," Lily responded, hastily gathering her clothes and dressing herself. "Then, I shall take my leave."

"Yes," the Madam nodded in acknowledgment.

Once outside, Lily immediately began circulating her charm intent through the meridians of the Charm Heavenly Path, just as the Madam had instructed. As expected, her comprehension deepened, and her charm energy grew more potent with each cycle.

Despite her growing anxiety about the future, she understood that worrying would accomplish nothing. At this critical juncture, she had no choice but to steel herself and push forward, no matter what dangers lay ahead!

She threw herself into relentless training. The more she practiced her charm intent, the more desire accumulated within her body, heightening her sensitivity to charm energy. It was an agonizing process—but one that accelerated her growth at an incredible pace.

The Charm Heavenly Path was divided into nine stages.

Yet reaching the ninth stage was nearly impossible. In all three realms, only one being had ever ascended to the ninth stage of any Heavenly Path—the Supreme God who wielded dominion over the Charm Heavenly Path. Even among Supreme Gods, they were unique, having reached the seventh stage upon their ascension—an unprecedented feat in any Heavenly Path.

Since the Charm Heavenly Path was a cornerstone of the life domain, anyone who ascended to the ninth stage would undoubtedly become one of the most powerful Supreme Gods in existence.

However, there was one exception to this rule—a Great Imperial God.

A Great Imperial God possessed the power to master multiple Heavenly Paths and was not bound by the universal law that limited each path to a single Supreme God. Such an entity could elevate multiple Heavenly Paths to the pinnacle of the ninth stage, surpassing even Supreme Gods themselves.

A Great Imperial God was never born among mortals—they were divine beings from the very beginning. No amount of training could elevate a mortal to such a status. Thus, for the average adept, each Heavenly Path could only ever be ruled by a single Supreme God.

But such matters were far beyond Lily’s reach. At present, she had only just attained the second stage of the Charm Heavenly Path. Fortunately, she had already laid a strong foundation in the Charm Heavenly Path, having reached the first stage even before meeting the Madam.

Advancing to the fourth stage of any Heavenly Path was the key to breaking through to either the Celestial or Infernal Stage. Lily had only recently come to understand these principles, all thanks to the Madam’s guidance. 𝖗ἁꞐọᛒΕ𝘴

Until now, she had relied solely on intuition to progress in her Heavenly Paths, unaware that they were structured into nine distinct stages. Armed with the Madam’s teachings, Lily began applying the same wisdom to deepen her understanding of her other two Heavenly Paths.

"The strongest Heavenly Path I possess is the Lunar Heavenly Path… and it has already reached the third stage," Lily murmured in disbelief. "I advanced so far on my own, without any structured training or guidance… How could I have such an innate affinity for it?"

She had always known her talent was extraordinary, but her deep attunement to lunar force was beyond explanation.

"My Sword Heavenly Path is still at the first stage… but after all the battles I fought in Hyakki Street, it’s already on the verge of breaking through," Lily assessed, sensing the energy within herself.

"Unfortunately, one day, I’ll have to choose a primary Heavenly Path if I wish to become a Supreme God. The other two will be forever capped at the Celestial Stage, unable to surpass the sixth stage."

However… if a Supreme God had already claimed dominion over any of these Heavenly Paths, it wouldn’t matter how talented she was—her path forward would be blocked.

Without the Divinity of a Supreme God, she would never be able to surpass the sixth stage. Such was the unbreakable law imposed upon all mortals by the three realms.

"Still… I’m thinking too far ahead. I’ve only just begun, and the road ahead is long. If any of my Heavenly Paths can reach the fourth stage and push me into the Celestial Stage, it will likely be the Lunar Heavenly Path. But without a mentor, will my progress remain steady? Though… so far, everything has gone smoothly."

"On the other hand, my swordsmanship is falling behind. Perhaps I’ll break through in the Charm Heavenly Path first, since the Madam is personally guiding me."

Despite the looming danger, Lily used it as motivation to strengthen her resolve and resist the desires threatening to consume her. She trained diligently in the Madam’s dimension, occasionally receiving her guidance. Each lesson was profound, bringing immense benefits to her cultivation in the Charm Heavenly Path.

A month passed, and Lily had firmly established herself in the second stage of the Charm Heavenly Path. At her current pace, she would likely break into the third stage with just a little more training.

One day, the Madam summoned Lily and asked, "Lily, how is your training in the Charm Heavenly Path? Is everything progressing smoothly?" Though the Madam could already see Lily’s progress, she still chose to ask.

"Thanks to your guidance, godmother, my training is going well. I should be able to reach the third stage in about half a month," Lily responded, her tone tinged with excitement as a faint blush crept across her face.

If she could reach the fourth stage and ascend to the Celestial Stage, she would finally have the strength to protect herself—even if she were sent far away to marry in the Boundless Abyss. This thought eased her anxieties, and for the first time in a while, she found herself feeling grateful for her progress.

The Madam nodded approvingly. "As expected of my daughter—diligent, intelligent. Indeed, I chose wisely. Perhaps one day, you will become a magnificent queen."

"Godmother…" Lily hesitated. Though the words were meant as praise, they unsettled her. Why a queen? Why not a king? Did her fate truly lie in being someone’s consort, bound to a ruler? A quiet resistance stirred deep within her heart.

Someone like Tsukuyomi—distant, untouchable, peerless. A warrior who could cut down legions of demons in a single stroke and enchant all living beings with just a glance. That was the kind of existence Lily aspired to be—the pinnacle of womanhood, the highest potential one could attain!

Yet even Tsukuyomi, the undefeated battle goddess and the most breathtaking woman in the world, had fallen. The thought weighed heavily on Lily’s heart, filling her with quiet sorrow.

"What’s wrong, Lily? Your mind keeps drifting."

"Huh?" Lily blinked in confusion.

The Madam stood, stepping closer until she loomed over Lily. Leaning in, she exhaled softly against her ear. "Are you… feeling it again?"

"N-No! Of course not!" Lily stammered, her cheeks burning. Why would the Madam even ask such a thing?

"Don't worry," the Madam teased, "you'll be wed to the Boundless Empress soon enough. She’s one of the most powerful women in Yomi. Even someone as proud as you will find satisfaction in her."

"Godmother, please… don’t joke about such things…" Lily muttered, her embarrassment palpable.

"Still, a woman of her caliber is bound to take multiple spouses in the future. But with your beauty and status, I have no doubt you'll be her primary consort."

"Godmother, what nonsense are you speaking?!"

"I shall teach you the Women-Controlling Technique," the Madam declared, her eyes gleaming. "It will be especially useful for handling unruly little vixens who dare defy you."

"Huh?" Lily looked at her in disbelief.

Naturally, Lily had no intention of becoming anyone’s primary spouse and nearly refused on the spot. But after a moment’s thought, she realized the Women-Controlling Technique might have other applications. Besides, learning from the immensely powerful Madam was never a wasted opportunity.

Without warning, the Madam circled around Lily and firmly grasped her left breast.

"H-Huh? Godmother, what are you—?!" Lily’s face flushed crimson as she instinctively tried to push the hand away with her small hands, yet she didn’t dare apply any real force.

"Hehehe, there's no time for a proper explanation, since we're about to depart. I'll imprint the essential knowledge of the technique directly into your heart. Just remember it and train on your own later."

As she spoke, a wave of pulsating, almost unbearable energy surged into Lily’s chest.

"Ugh… ah…" Lily gasped involuntarily. Wait—wasn’t she supposed to imprint this into my brain instead?!

It took a long moment before Lily managed to steady her breath.

"So? Have you memorized it?" the Madam asked with a smirk.

"Y-Yes, I did…" Lily replied helplessly, her cheeks still flushed. "Godmother… did you say we’re leaving soon?"@@novelbin@@

"Yes. We’re heading to the Sanzu River for your baptism."

"Baptism?" Lily echoed in confusion.

"Yes," the Madam explained. "Every woman of high status in Yomi undergoes baptism in the Sanzu River before marriage. It’s a ceremonial tradition, but it also provides benefits. After the baptism, your body will develop increased resistance to harmful poisons. Of course, that’s merely a secondary effect—its true significance lies in upholding tradition."

"But… the Boundless Abyss hasn’t responded yet. Maybe she isn’t interested in me…" Lily murmured, though even she found it difficult to believe her own words.

"Hehehehe, do you truly think that’s possible?" The Madam chuckled knowingly. "Besides, it’s best to complete the baptism sooner rather than later. Once we receive a reply from the Boundless Abyss, we can depart immediately. Our paths align, after all."

Hearing that their departure was imminent, Lily felt a wave of unease. What she needed most right now… was more time.